Viewsonic announces 7-inch ViewBook 730 Android tablet

Viewsonic has announced the release of their budget friendly 7 inch ViewBook 730 Android tablet today. While their tagline of "changing the face of tablets" may be stretching things a bit, this one looks to be a great new product in the multi-purpose eReader category, and appears to have the market currently dominated by the Nook Color directly in its sights.

The ViewBook runs Android 2.2 on a 1GHz CPU, 8 GB internal memory and microSD card support, 1080p playback via its HDMI out port, a VGA front facing camera, and uses a stylus much like the HTC Flyer. On the software side, it comes with the Amazon Appstore and Adobe Flash 10 preinstalled.

The ViewBook will be available the end of June, and carries a MSRP of $249.99. Read the full press release after the break.

June 06, 2011 08:00 ET

ViewSonic Changes the Face of Tablets

New ViewBook® 730 Tablet Is a Fully-Featured Low-Cost Powerhouse

WALNUT, CA--(Marketwire - Jun 6, 2011) - ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions, today expanded its tablet offerings with the launch of the ViewBook tablet line and new ViewBook 730.

Designed for the value seeker who doesn't want to compromise on features, the ViewBook 730 makes it easy for anyone to make multimedia mobile. This Android™ 2.2 OS tablet combines a fast and powerful ARM® Cortex-A8 1Ghz processor with Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth® support in a convenient 7" form factor. Whether experiencing 1080p video playback via the HDMI connection, or engaging in video chat and conference calls using the integrated front VGA camera, the ViewBook 730 is the ideal tablet for staying connected and enjoying all the exciting possibilities of digital media content on the move.

With its RiteTouch technology, the ViewBook 730's high-resolution 800x480 LED backlit screen serves as a great tool for pen writing. Whether taking notes in the classroom, highlighting excerpts within a novel or textbook, or working on art projects with the pre-installed Sketcher® app, the included stylus and RiteTouch make it easy to write directly on the screen of the device, swipe across content and scroll through emails.

Fully integrated with the Amazon Appstore, the most popular games and entertainment have already been installed: from Twitter, to Amazon's MP3 music downloader, shopping on Amazon.com, plus YouTube and Mediafly, along with Amazon® Kindle™ software for industry-leading eBook reading.

"In the tablet marketplace, there are plenty of solutions to choose from," said Michael Holstein, vice president of business development, ViewSonic. "We recognized a need for a tablet device that offers users an excellent multimedia experience with a very affordable value proposition. From the pre-installed Amazon Kindle eReader to full Amazon app integration and Flash 10.1 support, our new ViewBook 730 enables consumers to do all the fun things that they want to do on a tablet without the added cost for features they don't need."

In addition to an ample 8GB of memory, the ViewBook 730 offers up to an additional 32GB of storage capacity via the microSD card slot. Teamed with a long-lasting battery for up to 8 hours of use per charge, consumers can bring all their favorite multimedia content with them wherever they go. For added convenience and functionality, the ViewBook 730 offers ViewSonic's AirSync technology to ensure that tablet owners will receive over-the-air device updates as they are rolled out, from feature add-ons to software updates. The ViewBook 730 will be available at the end of June 2011 for an ESP of $249.99.

For more information on ViewSonic's products, please visit ViewSonic.com or follow ViewSonic on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

About ViewSonicViewSonic® Corporation is a leading global provider of computing, consumer electronics and communications solutions. ViewSonic develops, markets and supports a broad range of innovative products, including tablets, LED TVs, computers, LED monitors, projectors, digital photo frames, digital signage displays, 3D devices and digital media players. For further information, please contact ViewSonic Corporation at 800.888.8583 or 909.444.8888; or visit ViewSonic.com.

SOLD! I have been looking for a 7" with a $250 price point; they read my mind (and saw my bank acct).and with the added bonus of a stylus included in the price? Wow. With Amazon all over it, it makes me wonder why Amazon is planning to introduce their own tablet.

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